WTC Final Day 1 Bowlers Dominate as Australia All Out for 212

Match Overview

The ICC World Test Championship Final is underway at Lord’s from June 11–15, 2025, pitting defending champions Australia against South Africa—the latter making their debut in the final

South Africa won the toss and elected to field. Australia were bowled out for a modest 212 runs on Day 1. As stumps fell, South Africa stood at 43/4, trailing by 169 runs

Standout Performances 🎯

• Kagiso Rabada starred for South Africa with a fiery 5 for 51, including dismissals of Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green. This effort surpasses Allan Donald to make him the nation’s fourth‑highest Test wicket‑taker
• Marco Jansen supported admirably with 3/49, helping to reduce Australia to 67/4 by lunch
• For Australia, Steve Smith (66) and Beau Webster (72) staged a mid-innings fightback, but the tail collapsed
• In return, Mitchell Starc led Australia’s late-session response, claiming two quick wickets and later becoming the leading wicket-taker in ICC tournament finals with 11 career wickets

Session-by-Session Breakdown

☀️ Morning

SA pacers exploited overcast conditions. Rabada struck early (2/9 in six maiden overs), supported by Jansen—Australia stumbled to 67/4 by lunch

🕰️ Afternoon

Smith and Webster counterattacked effectively, steering Australia to 190/5 by tea

🌙 Evening

South Africa reclaimed control: Rabada and Jansen cleaned up the tail. In SA’s reply, Australia’s pace trio of Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood uprooted the top order, leaving SA at 43/4 by stumps

Pitch & Conditions

Conditions favored seamers early at Lord’s: the green surface and cloud cover swung test pacers into action—ideal for fast bowling Historically, pacers dominate day one here, winning 22 wickets at an average of ~26 since 2022

What Lies Ahead

• South Africa must rebuild from 43/4, using the lower order to limit the deficit.
• Australia will look to extend the lead in the second innings.
• Spinners like Keshav Maharaj and Nathan Lyon could play key roles if pitch wears.
• Expect more atmospheric swings—weather and the Lord’s slope may heavily influence sessions.